Exploring the Effects of a Two-to-One Mapping Structure on Cross-Situational Word Learning in Children

Description
In cross-situational word learning, individuals associate words with their meanings by observing their use across multiple encounters. This is considered to be a crucial mechanism involved in early childhood language acquisition. However, whether learners can track multiple words for referents…

In cross-situational word learning, individuals associate words with their meanings by observing their use across multiple encounters. This is considered to be a crucial mechanism involved in early childhood language acquisition. However, whether learners can track multiple words for referents cross-situationally, such as when learning synonyms, remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the effects of age on children’s cross-situational word learning (CSWL) from a two-to-one structure, where objects are given two names. Younger (4 to 5.4 years, N = 29) and older (5.5 to 7.9 years, N = 48) children completed a cross-situational word learning task in which, during the first half of training, objects were labeled with one label (First words) and in the second half of training, objects were given a new second label (Second words). Results showed that age interacted with learning: younger children learned second labels but not first labels, whereas older children learned first labels but not second labels. These findings indicate the limitations of children’s capacity to learn complex word-referent mappings in CSWL.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

Analysis and Development of Cognition Tests for Pre-Diagnostic Strategies for Alzheimer’s Disease

Description
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory, and is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's disease targets the brain and is associated with the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates that disrupt neural…

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory, and is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's disease targets the brain and is associated with the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates that disrupt neural network communication and lead to various facets of cognitive decline. Current problems in AD research originates from the inability to identify individuals that are at risk. With the limitations of patients already displaying signs of neurodegeneration, strategies for prevention are not effective. Through developing a comprehensive cognitive test that tests a range of mental abilities, data can be collected, and a longitudinal study can be proposed to track cognitive decline in a multifaceted approach over a period of time. Previous literature indicates that functional decline is present years before the manifestation of symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. Identifying pre-diagnostic cognitive and functional changes could lead to an improved and wider selection for preventive treatment trials. By designing a comprehensive cognitive experiment, an initial data set was obtained, and trends related to time and answer response were analyzed. The scope, applications and limitations within this experimental design is discussed, and future directions are proposed.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

West End Theatre: A Review of the 2023 Season

Description
Written reviews and rankings of fifteen shows that played in the West End during the 2023 season.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

Meloscape: a Music Therapy App for Older Adults’ Mental Wellness

Description
Meloscape, an innovative music therapy iPad app, addresses the challenge of providing an authentic therapeutic experience virtually to older adults. Meloscape offers a user-friendly platform that goes beyond existing apps by providing standalone simulations of music therapy sessions that can…

Meloscape, an innovative music therapy iPad app, addresses the challenge of providing an authentic therapeutic experience virtually to older adults. Meloscape offers a user-friendly platform that goes beyond existing apps by providing standalone simulations of music therapy sessions that can also be used as a tool between in-person sessions. Developed with a focus on research, accessibility, lifelong learning, and the unique needs of older adults, Meloscape features follow-along video sessions, guided meditations, personalized music selections, and journaling capabilities, creating a holistic and immersive music therapy experience. Meloscape strives to empower older adults to independently engage in music therapy, fostering cognitive and physical well-being and enriching their lives in profound ways.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

“Like having all your wings clipped, but still trying to teach”: A Phenomenological Study of Teaching K-12 Music in Arizona during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Description
The purpose of this research was to examine the lived experiences of music teachers during the advent and fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. I interviewed eight music teachers who taught music in Arizona during 2020 and 2021, then coded their…

The purpose of this research was to examine the lived experiences of music teachers during the advent and fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. I interviewed eight music teachers who taught music in Arizona during 2020 and 2021, then coded their responses to find common themes and understandings among participants. The coded themes were communication, preparation, mode complexities, and what endures. The essence of teaching music during the advent and fallout of COVID-19 was that teaching during the pandemic was like a magnifying glass on the issues and stresses music teachers experienced before COVID-19 forced emergency lockdowns and transitions in instructional modes for these educators. I recommend that pre-service music teachers engage with their communities, that local administrators better support the needs of their teachers during their first years of teaching, and that music teaching training institutions consider initiating mentoring programs for their newly in-service music teachers to help them through their first years of teaching.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

Harp Basics with Jacquelyn McAllister

Description
The goal of this project is to create a lesson book to guide teachers and beginner students through the first six months of teaching and learning and to create a strong base of knowledge the student can draw upon throughout…

The goal of this project is to create a lesson book to guide teachers and beginner students through the first six months of teaching and learning and to create a strong base of knowledge the student can draw upon throughout their time playing the harp. This lesson book is organized in three distinct sections: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. The sections were named to levels to more accurately describe the difficulty of the exercises and content. The lessons are designed to occur once a week so that each section may take two months to complete for a total of six months. The timing of the lessons are ultimately up to the teacher and student, however, as some may need more time while others can progress faster. The lessons are planned to last about 30 minutes, as longer would be difficult for the young student to sit still and pay attention, although the length of the lesson is also up to the teacher and the student. Attached to the lessons are links to the pieces so that the teacher and student may hear how the piece sounds before playing it.
Date Created
2023-12
Agent

Artificial Intelligence: An Exposition of its Applications in the Genre of Business: Present and Future

Description

With an increase in Artificial Intelligence applications in the world of technology, its usage has extended as far as the world of business, with small, medium, and large firms offering both products and services for consumer and business use. Through…

With an increase in Artificial Intelligence applications in the world of technology, its usage has extended as far as the world of business, with small, medium, and large firms offering both products and services for consumer and business use. Through its historical development, and the devolvement of frameworks, algorithms, and basic toolkits, the application of AI in business was able to flourish. The development of multiple tools such as smart stethoscopes and conversational assistants throughout multiple industries has created a complex commercial enterprise of Artificial Intelligence for the specific genre of business and its applications today are bound to have major effects on the AI applications of tomorrow.

Date Created
2023-05
Agent

Preliminary Model of Alzheimer’s Disease Age of Onset From the All of Us Database

Description

The burden of dementia and its primary cause, Alzheimer’s disease, continue to devastate many with no available cure although present research has delivered methods for risk calculation and models of disease development that promote preventative strategies. Presently Alzheimer’s disease affects…

The burden of dementia and its primary cause, Alzheimer’s disease, continue to devastate many with no available cure although present research has delivered methods for risk calculation and models of disease development that promote preventative strategies. Presently Alzheimer’s disease affects 1 in 9 people aged 65 and older amounting to a total annual healthcare cost in 2023 in the United States of $345 billion between Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias making dementia one of the costliest conditions to society (“2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures,” 2023). This substantial cost can be dramatically lowered in addition to a reduction in the overall burden of dementia through the help of risk prediction models, but there is still a need for models to deliver an individual’s predicted time of onset that supplements risk prediction in hopes of improving preventative care. The aim of this study is to develop a model used to predict the age of onset for all-cause dementias and Alzheimer’s disease using demographic, comorbidity, and genetic data from a cohort sample. This study creates multiple regression models with methods of ordinary least squares (OLS) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression methods to understand the capacity of predictor variables that estimate age of onset for all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This study is unique in its use of a diverse cohort containing 346 participants to create a predictive model that originates from the All of Us Research Program database and seeks to represent an accurate sampling of the United States population. The regression models generated had no predictive capacity for the age of onset but outline a simplified approach for integrating public health data into a predictive model. The results from the generated models suggest a need for continued research linking risk factors that estimate time of onset.

Date Created
2023-05
Agent
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